


Blue Christmas

by Batfink



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers Family, Avengers Tower, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Morning, Christmas Tree, Fluff, Happy Ending, Kissing, M/M, Mistletoe, Natasha Settles all Arguments, New York City, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Seasonal, Snow, Steve Feels, Steve Rogers Feels, Tony Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 08:22:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5368280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batfink/pseuds/Batfink





	Blue Christmas

“Come on Steve, everyone else has moved in.” Tony was trying his last ditch bid to make Steve move into the newly renamed Avengers Tower.

“Now is really not a good time Tony, but I appreciate the offer. Maybe in the new year.” Steve replied.

“Fine.” Tony huffed. “Don't think I'm letting this go though. January 1st. You and me are going to have this conversation again.”

Steve smiled fondly at Tony. “Whatever you say, Shellhead.”

“You're coming over for Christmas though, that's not up for discussion.” Tony switched to his back up demands.

“Yes, Tony.” Steve grinned at him. “I'll be joining you for, what was it you called it?”

“A very merry Avengers Christmas.” Tony beamed at him. “T.M.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “How did you get Natasha to agree to be a part of this?”

“Ah!” Tony chuckled. “I didn't. I bribed Clint to agree to it and where he goes, little miss deadly is sure to follow.”

“Bribed Clint? You mean you promised him lots of free food.” Steve laughed as Tony agreed.

–

New York at Christmas time was a magical place. From the window of his apartment in Brooklyn, Steve was able to see countless Christmas lights decorating all manner of things. He was also able to watch the snow covering everything in a soft white blanket.

He wondered about Bucky. Hoped that he was somewhere warm, somewhere out of this blizzard. Natasha had assured him that he would be okay. That even in his confused state the training he had would be like muscle memory. He would know instinctively how to survive. Steve could only hope she was right.

This was going to be the first Christmas Steve had celebrated since losing Bucky. He had ignored it every previous year since getting defrosted but he really liked his new team. They had quickly become like family. He thought perhaps it would have been harder if everything else hadn't changed as well. Christmases now were nothing like those he had shared with Bucky. Even the decorations were a world apart. The tree in Tony's penthouse was like a work of art. Eleven feet tall and covered with more lights and baubles than you could ever count.

He smiled. The tree decorating had almost been a disaster. Tony and Clint had argued for hours about the correct way to decorate it and what constituted appropriate decorations. One thing they had all agreed on was Natasha's suggestion to string popcorn as a garland, but Steve had since caught both Clint and Tony eating the popcorn straight off the tree.

At Bruce's suggestion, he had joined him in making strings of paper chains. This was a tradition he was familiar with at least and it was relaxing. He also found a little known advantage of the serum. Paper cuts were still a bitch, but at least only for a few seconds.

Among other things there were baubles of all the avengers on the tree. Some marketing scam that Tony was involved with. Steve didn't mind, it helped their PR and they all got a cut of the profits. Natasha had also brought him a special box of baubles. They were silver, with a single red star on each. He had managed to hold it together thankfully and had put them on the tree. All except one, which he had tucked into his pocket and taken back to his apartment. It was hanging from the bottom of the lamp on his bedside table now. He also had a string of coloured lights wrapped around his headboard.

He had wandered the streets, taking in all the decorations, the gigantic tree and the ice rink at the Rockefeller centre. He had volunteered at soup kitchens and homeless shelters, only a small part of him hoping he might run into Bucky in one of them, although that was not his motivation for volunteering.

Finally, on Christmas Eve, he had packed an overnight bag and hopped on his bike. Arriving at the tower just before ten. Tony had insisted he was there for Christmas movies. As usual, a heated debate was in progress between Clint (The Grinch) and Tony (Scrooged). Which as usual was settled by Natasha when she asked Jarvis to put on Elf while they were still arguing.

Steve settled onto the sofa between Bruce and Natasha and settled in to watch. Tony had amassed a large collection of blankets, so they all got comfy together.

As usual Steve awoke bright and early, still sitting upright on the sofa. Both Natasha and Bruce were curled towards him. Something about the way he radiated heat Clint had told him the first time he had awoken to find an avenger (Clint) snuggled up against him.

Natasha woke up almost instantly and casually moved away from him. He knew better than to comment on it and simply yawned. Bruce woke up and yawned also. He looked to Steve. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

“Not a problem.” Steve smiled as Bruce shifted away. Clint and Tony were sprawled out on the other sofa actually lying side by side. Tony half on top of Clint who had an arm around him. Steve smiled. They were cute together when they weren't fighting. Not that he would ever dare tell them that.

He stood from the sofa and went to get the coffee started. There was no way either of those two would move without coffee. Bruce came to join him and they set about making breakfast. Thor arrived with Jane not long after and Pepper wasn't far behind them with Rhodey in tow.

– 

Steve couldn't remember when he'd last eaten so much food. Wasn't actually sure he ever had. They had watched countless Christmas movies and listened to so many Christmas songs that even Steve knew the words to most of them by now. Blue Christmas was one that stuck with him the most. He was rather partial to the Johnny Cash version. It was hard not to think of Bucky when he listened to it.

Thor had brought some kind of spiced mead from Asgard and although he hadn't had enough to be drunk, Tony had insisted there was no way Captain America was being pulled over for drink driving, so needless to say, Steve had again fallen asleep on Tony's couch. This time waking up between Rhodey and Clint neither of whom awoke when he slipped from his spot.

Only Natasha was awake to see him leave and she didn't comment on him sneaking out without saying goodbye. He wasn't sure why he had. He just felt the need to be alone. Climbing onto his bike, he took the long way back to his apartment, enjoying the crisp, frosty air.

Part of the deal with Tony laying off insisting he moved into the tower, was allowing Tony to upgrade the security at his apartment and clear out all the bugs. As well as installing systems to detect if someone tried to install new ones.

He checked the system as soon as he was in the door. All clear. He hung his keys on their assigned hook, propped his shield in the hallway and shrugged off his jacket hanging it up along with his overnight bag before heading to his kitchen. He dropped his starkphone into the docking station and asked Jarvis for a Christmas playlist then set about making some hot chocolate.

Once he had finished his hot chocolate he decided he should probably put on some laundry. He grabbed his overnight bag from the hall and loaded his clothes into the machine. He then headed to his bedroom to empty the wash basket.

He froze as soon as he pushed open the door. The curtains were pulled but he distinctly remembered opening them on Christmas Eve. There was a person sitting on the bed. Before he had time to back up and grab his shield, the string of Christmas lights clicked on and in the faint multi-coloured light, he could suddenly make out the face of the person on his bed.

“Bucky?” He gasped.

“Stevie?” Came the soft reply.

Steve knew better than to rush brain-washed assassins, honest he did, so he only took one cautious step further into the room but then Bucky brought up his right hand, a sheepish grin blooming on his face as he held a sprig of mistletoe above his head in shaky fingers and Steve forgot everything about Hydra and brainwashing and assassins and attempts on his life caused by all of the previous and threw himself towards Bucky.

Their lips collided as Steve's momentum knocked Bucky onto his back on the bed, Steve sprawled on top of him.

–

“So, Steve. January 1st it is.” Tony announced when Steve picked up.

Steve chuckled. “It's two minutes past midnight Tony.” He was stretched out on his sofa, Bucky tucked into his side.

“Still counts. So when can we expect you with your suitcases?” Tony carried on.

“Yeah, about that.” Steve looked to Bucky who was watching TV. “I would like to take you up on that offer and the sooner the better, but there's been a complication and I'm not sure you'll still agree.”

Tony laughed. “Safest place for your boyfriend is this tower, Steve.”

“You know?” Steve exclaimed.

“What can I say.” Tony paused. “That security system I installed might be a little bit more Jarvis than I admitted. How do you think Sarge got in, in the first place. He's good and all, but Jarvis is better.”

Steve huffed a laugh. “I'd like to say I'm surprised, but I'm so far from surprised it's ridiculous.”

“Yeah.” Tony chuckled. “Dinner is at 6pm. We expect to see both of you.”

“For what, a very happy Avengers New Year?” Steve laughed.

“T.M.” Tony shot back with a laugh.

“Okay, Tony. We'll be there.” Steve confirmed and hung up.

He turned to Bucky. “I know it's soon, but, ready to meet the family?”

Bucky thought about it. “You think that's a good idea?”

“Yeah.” Steve nodded. “Family sticks by you. No matter how crazy your boyfriend is.”

“Hey, Punk!” Bucky exclaimed. “No mocking the brain-washed assassins. I could kill you.” He pouted.

Steve laughed. “Yeah, no. Not seen any proof of that so far.”

Bucky's eyes went wide and he pounced on Steve, tickling him mercilessly. Steve did not squeal, nor did he beg Bucky to stop, honest he didn't. He did however prove exactly what a sneaky little ass he really was by getting his hands in Bucky's boxer shorts and effectively distracting him from his tickling.


End file.
